1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an in-fill structure for joining and continuing the upper planar surfaces of adjacent tables or counters, particularly irregularly shaped tables, which provides for articulation whereby the tables can be arranged over a range of relative positions defining different configurations. In particular, the invention concerns joining a kidney shaped table having differing radii of curvature around its periphery to another table that may also be kidney shaped.
2. Prior Art
It is popular to furnish homes and offices with irregularly shaped furniture such as tables. It is also functionally efficient to arrange work surfaces to partly surround a person's work area, providing work surfaces within easy reach. Such an arrangement may advantageously define an L-shape, a C-shape, a U-shape, etc. The user typically sits on the inner side. A single integral table can define such a shape, or two or more tables can be placed adjacent one another to form the desired shape.
A single table or desk that is kidney shaped in plan view forms a C-shape that has the advantage of partly surrounding a user on the concave side of the C-shape. The upper or working surface of the table or desk is closer to the user than with a regularly shaped table (e.g., rectangular or round) because the table or desk curves around the user. Such kidney or C-shaped tables and desks are aesthetically popular for design reasons, and also lack sharp corners.
However, the C-shape or kidney shape is inherently disadvantageous for joining two or more tables into a larger functional work surface. Whereas rectangular tables can be abutted along their straight edges to get a relatively continuous working surface, the irregular C-shape cannot be abutted against another table without leaving substantial gaps. Although complementary convex and concave sides of two C-shaped tables might be abutted, this would only increase the span across the table and would not form a larger surround for the user. Even that ,arrangement would leave gaps and/or cracks. What is needed is a substantially continuous work surface extending in some form of arc or angle around the user.
Office occupants and the like may be motivated by various reasons to abut two tables together. For example, a person may want an enlarged desk or working surface on which to spread out. A "partners" desk arrangement may be desirable, in which the enlarged desk or working surface is shared with a fellow occupant. In a "partners" arrangement, the two persons may sit either aside one another or on opposite sides of the abutted tables.
C-shaped tables for such arrangements are abutted at their ends (the top or bottom of the C), which generally form a convex arc. Thus the tables cannot be abutted to form a continuous surface, instead being abutted only along a single point where the convex curved surfaces touch. The workspace at the abutment is no more useful than if the tables were separated. Articles cannot be slid from one table to the other without catching or falling into a crack or gap.
It is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,855--Morgan, to link together two or more circular tables with a connecting structure whose upper surface is coplanar with the circular table tops. The connecting structure is complementary to the circumference of the tables and extends around the table by 60 to 90 degrees of arc. The angular arrangement of the table is irrelevant because the table is circular. The connecting structures at 90 or 60 degrees allow a plurality of tables to be coupled either in rectilinear arrays or at an angle. The arrays are fixed in position by abutment of the ends of the connecting structures. It would be advantageous if the angular arrangement of linked tables could be varied to enable the user to set the tables at any angle desired in an array, at least within a range.
The problem of linking C-shaped or kidney shaped tables is more complicated than linking circular tables. As the relative angle of a C-shaped table is changed, the radius of curvature changes. For example, proceeding from an end (which defines a substantially circular arc) toward the convex side of the C-shape, the radius of curvature increases. Therefore, a connector as in the Morgan circular table arrangement must be arranged for a particular position on the table to be complementary to the edge of the table, and if moved away from that position causes a gap to open between the connector and the table. For C-shaped tables and the like, this limits the two linked tables to a given relative angle, just as with Morgan's circular tables.
It would be advantageous to provide a means for linking non-circular tables together in an arrangement that provides a continuous span between the respective working surfaces and also permits relative movement such that the relative positions of the tables can be changed. It would also be advantageous if this could be accomplished without running afoul of the changing radius of curvature of a C-shaped table.